P2ware Planner Suite 2011 is coming!

Yes, P2ware Planner Suite 2008 is about to retire soon! P2ware is going to release Planner Suite 2011 in a several weeks - end of August or early September. 
This is improved and much enhanced version of Planner - I published major changes below.  Also it is important to let you know that we are introducing some changes in product versions (more details below), but the end result is that more features will be available for less money :-)

P2ware Planner Suite 2011 has several new important features allowing to create Integrated Project Management systems. For more visit www.p2ware.com in September 2011, just after Planner Suite 2011 goes public.

Enterprise Project Management with P2ware Planner

If you are interested in purchasing P2ware Planner 2011 before final release - just contact us via website. 

New features

The list below sums up major changes introduced in Planner 2011.

• Added a new view: Lessons Log.
• PRINCE2 2009 naming changes.
• Added new view: Interface Customization. This will enable users to hide views, perspectives and properties that are not used in particular project, department or industry. The functionality is meant to make the software more approachable to project managers.
• Added functionality allowing to localize properties names, i.e. tranlate them in any other language allowing to create custom multinational plan templates
• Added new view: Resource Assignments.  It is an important upgrade since version 2008. The view allows to manage resource assignments more effectively, assign many resources to many various activities in just seconds.
• Added functionality of browsing resource load while assigning resources to activities via Planner Server. It allows to assign resources that are currently available.
• Added SharePoint (WSS, MOSS) integration to facilitate creating project documentation portals and document linking and management.
• New and refactored web services that enable development teams outside P2ware to create external components having access to all plan and resources data. This facilitates creating external synchronization components, e.g. Importing or exporting data from/to ERP or other IT systems.
• Extended plan snapshots. New version adds more data on planned and actual timing and work.
• New mechanism allowing to describe the plan templates. It will facilitate plan templates management and utilization.
• Added functionality allowing to bind a plan file to a documents library on disk or network share. Documents can then be easily linked with plan objects (e.g. products, activities etc.)
• Enhanced start screen to enable better plan templates usage.
• Added to Risk Register changes allowing to manage not only threats but also opportunities.
• Reports control refresh (slightly improved UI).
• Added organizational units support to Planner Server. It allows to organize resources into units and manage them more effectively.
• Added new data type - Rich Text Format (RTF). This allows to create rich documents describing plan objects.
• Added new data type - object reference. This allows to link various objects with other plan elements.
• Added Integrated Windows Logon.
• Enhanced unified plan and resource synchronization. Data synchronization is done in one intuitive way.
• Improved and faster data transfer protocol (desktop - server) with detection of version incompatibility.
• Added functionality allowing to show or hide reports on Planner Server. This can be used to create advanced reports visible only to selected users. What is more access is managed by access control list.
• New control and enhanced security settings allowing to create detailed security settings for Planner Server users.
• Changes in calendar management. Enhancements allowing to manage calendar setting across whole organization.
• Planner Server user interface refresh.
• New installation and activation functionalities. Offering more options for current and future activations.
• Added new functionality of renaming column headears in tables and trees accross the application. It allows to create shorter and meaningful names adjusted to organization.
• Added functionality allowing to initialize property of an object using predefined formula.
• Propagation of plan setting from Planner Server plan.

New Planner versions

Applications of Planner Suite 2011 are

• Planner Server (server application, installed on organization server, center of integrated systems)
• Planner for Project Support Office (highest version, all features, integrated systems)
• Planner Enterprise (advanced features, for project managers, integrated systems)
• Planner Premium (highest version not for integrated systems, it's like For PSO but does not connect to Planner Sever)
• Planner Professional (advanced features, major application for project managers, not for integrated systems, it's like Enterprise but does not connect to Planner Server)
• Planner Standard (the most basic application, intended for student)

Planner for PSO is the highest version of Planner desktop software

So to sum up new licenses, there are 3 different kind of applications

1. Server: Planner Server
2. Desktop apps for integrated systems: For PSO, Enterprise
3. Desktop apps for general project management use: Premium, Professional, Standard.

New applications are coming with new prices. Pricing will be available upon launch. Important is that dekstop apps for general project management use will be cheaper than these in point #2.

This of course affects available Planner solutions. E.g., if you are looking for several applications for your team and will not need server application, I would recommend 1 Premium + several Professional apps. If you are planning to build integrated system with server application then 1 Server, at least 1 For PSO and several Enterprise apps are the right choice.